Determination of Optimal Locations for Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Farm in Maharashtra, India

For efficient utilisation of renewable energy sources, it is crucial to determine the geographical locations where these sources are abundantly available. In India, the state of Maharashtra is one of most prominent sources of solar energy. This paper presents an assessment of location suitability for installation of solar PV farms across various districts in Maharashtra.The solar PV output depends on multiple factors such as solar irradiation, air temperature, slope of the land etc. In addition, the optimality of a site also depends on geographical factors like the presence of archaeological sites, disaster-prone nature of the land and land cover. Each of these factors influences the decision of site selection. The degree by which each of these factors affects the decision, known as the criteria weight is evaluated using Analytical Hierarchy Process. The distribution maps of the considered factors are scaled by their criteria weights using Quantum Geographic Information System. These maps are then overlaid on the map of Maharashtra to obtain a resultant map depicting the most suitable sites for solar farm installation.